Ep 36: David Jones, Ben Strate (August 27, 2012; originally aired September 20, 2010)

Rounds: Here.


Disclaimer: While I have not seen this episode before, I did play through the blue book (episodes 1 to 50) around ten months ago when I was scheduled to be a contestant on the show.  Additionally, I did a quick flick through it a few months back to collect words for my posts about word validity.


David Jones faces the crucial fourth game hurdle tonight, but there's essentially nothing to the pre-game chat.  He's had a good run so far, with his lowest score being 50.

Tonight's challenger is Ben Strate, an energy and resource lawyer with a passion for musicals.  Richard checks whether this passion extends to performing in them, and Ben confirms that he likes to do so -- the singing, at least; he says that dancing is not such a strength of his.  Some of the musicals that he has performed in are Into the Woods, Urinetown, and Singin' in the Rain.

(I recall seeing a wonderful production of Into the Woods at the Sydney Opera House in 1993.  They had a nifty rotating stage that they used to very good effect.)


As mentioned before, I'll be referring to David Astle throughout as DA to avoid confusion about which David is which.


David got off to an early lead when Ben essayed a risky word without success; Ben was perhaps a little unlucky as it was certainly a relatable concept.  A couple of shared rounds followed, but then David won the next two letters rounds to build a significant lead.  Ben was not able to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the numbers rounds, and David was guaranteed the win before the conundrum.  He continued his good form by solving it to register a 61 to 30 victory.

I found a couple of good words tonight, but also missed a couple.  I was very slow on the conundrum, but I'd done enough in the numbers to take the win anyway.  I definitely needed the advantage that they provided his time!